Star Wars: The Magic of Myth at the Smithsonian

Appropriately enough for a fantasy with flight at its heart, many of the images and events in Star Wars are based on the history of military aviation. Imperial TIE fighters and Rebel X, Y, A and B-wing fighters are designed to destroy enemy aircraft in the air and to protect bomber aircraft, just as single-pilot fighters have done since World War I. The long nose and missile-tipped wings of the X-wing coincidentally bear an uncanny resemblance to the formidable modern-day F-16 fighter aircraft.

The Millennium Falcon is more analogous to a bomber craft in its larger size, crew, and flight characteristics compared to the nimble one-man fighters. Parts of its design was also influenced by real bombers. The Falcon's quad-laser cannons wells are reminiscent of the 50-caliber machine guns mounted in the waist of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, used in the World War II European theater.

The cockpit of the Falcon features a "greenhouse" style window that is very similar to those of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, flown over the Pacific during World War II.

The Falcon even faces opponents like bomber planes have done.

The TIE fighter attack on the Falcon in Star Wars: A New Hope follow closely in spirit the World War II fighter attacks on B-17 bombers over Germany.

As Vader flies his special TIE fighter in pursuit of the Rebel fighters, he is continually adjusting certain knobs on the control panel before him. This panel is based on the automatic computing sights developed toward the end of World War II. Accurate targeting with the later model sights still required a certain amount of knob-turning in order to set the target dimension and range control and to track the target.

Mp> Star Wars costume elements were also inspired by combat flying uniforms. Around one knee, the Rebel pilots have strapped a belt of flare pistol cartridges, like that worn by the Luftwaffe during World War II. The head gear for the Rebel foot soldiers seen on Endor is based on the British AN-H-15 summer flying helmet.

The image of the tough, rough-and-ready pilot from the early days of aviation arrives in the Star Wars universe almost unchanged. The Rebel pilots' orange jumpsuits are reminiscent of the "international orange" flying suits used by the U.S. Navy from 1957 to 1969. In addition, the Rebel pilots wear a configuration of webbed straps that is part of a parachute rig in real life.

Naval analogies are often found in science fiction space flight. In Star Wars, the Rebel cruisers and Imperial Star Destroyers operate much like aircraft carriers. Even the docking bays at the Hoth base look like those on an aircraft carrier. And the Star Destroyers themselves actually resemble aircraft carriers in their design, with their V-shaped front profile and prominent island. The geodesic deflector-shield domes and communications tower are reminiscent of an aircraft carrier's electronic array.